Chamber of Deputies Health Commission investigates neonatal deaths at La Altagracia Maternity Hospital
The Permanent Health Commission of the Chamber of Deputies conducted an oversight visit to the Nuestra Señora de La Altagracia University Maternity Hospital. The main objective of this tour was to collect accurate data and prepare a detailed report on the 17 neonatal deaths reported at said center during the month of August.
Diómedes Rojas, who chairs the commission, emphasized that the intervention seeks to clarify the real circumstances behind these human losses and ensure transparency in the public health system.
Details about the deaths
During the meeting, the hospital director, Henry Amín Mesa, presented a breakdown of the causes of death. According to the center’s records, the situation is detailed as follows:
- Three deaths linked to infections in extremely premature patients.
- Two cases of congenital malformations of the gastroschisis type.
- One premature infant re-operated.
- One newborn with a single ventricle, a pathology considered incompatible with life.
- Eleven deaths that, according to the center’s management, are not related to infectious processes.
The hospital maintains its commitment to the quality and reliability of its services. We have strictly reinforced hygiene, cleaning, and disinfection protocols, in addition to rigorously supervising handwashing to ensure the safety of our patients.
Henry Amín Mesa, Hospital Director
Security and control protocols
For her part, Dr. Taína Malena, neonatal coordinator of the National Health Service (SNS), highlighted the country’s technological and logistical advances. She assured that the Dominican Republic has single-dose controls and advanced tracking systems, which guarantee that each patient receives the precise medication at the right time, positioning the country as a regional benchmark in this type of hospital management.
After the meeting, the legislators took a tour of various areas of the hospital to supervise firsthand the neonatal care and attention protocols. The day was attended by deputies Ramón Bueno, Anny Mambrú, Millyz Martínez, Juan Bolívar, Gregoria Monserrat, Damaris Vásquez, and Lidia Pérez, accompanied by the specialized medical staff of the healthcare center.
This Alofoke Deportes initiative seeks to keep the public informed about the actions taken by the authorities to strengthen the quality of health services and prevent future complications in the care of newborns.
